Black Sails XXVIII (Starz 26 Mar 2017, with Richard Lothian)

April 16, 2017

In Black Sails XXVIII, the season 3 finale, the English begin their assault on Maroon. Despite major defences mounted on the beach it will not be enough. Rackham has taken charge of the Walrus charged with harrying the English ships, he knows that is also a fruitless task. Then a flotilla of six ships carrying English flags is spotted in the water. It initially looks like more English reinforcement but Rackham realises it is Blackbeard.

Once the English land in heavy numbers on the beach it is an all out battle. When it looks like Flint’s men are suffering heavy losses he orders them pulled back. Hornigold, who is part of the landing force, is convinced the retreat is a trick. During the pullback Flint tells Silver the truth about his relationship with Thomas Hamilton and the genesis of his hatred of England. Silver remarks that everyone else who Flint has confided in has unfortunately died. Silver also believes that someday it will be he who is responsible for Flint’s demise. It’s a fabulous conversation on the nature of power and friendship and yet again shows how well series creators Robert Levine, Jonathan E. Steinberg do in tying in the series with what we know of Treasure Island.

Silver also tells Flint that he has put the second part of the plan to take out the English troops in the hands of Dobbs, the man who sparked the unrest on the boat over the slaves. Flint can’t believe Silver would do such a thing but Silver knows he holds such a power over the crew that rather resenting Silver for how the disturbance on ship played out Dobbs actually needs to redeem himself in Silver’s eyes.

Dobbs, even though it looks like he might have betrayed Silver, does pull Hornigold’s men and the English troops into the trap. They are wiped out and in the fighting Flint shoots Hornigold dead.

Back on Nassau unrest is growing, not least at the fact that Vane’s body is still hanging from a gibbet. Billy is organising the Nassau resistance and is using Silver rather than Flint as it’s figurehead. It’s a truly inspiring move. The legend of Long John Silver is beginning.